


Arrival (in Neverwinter)

by TigerOfTheTundra



Series: Starlight--Paladin Talis arc 1 [1]
Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game), Original Work
Genre: Neverwinter - Freeform, Underdark (briefly), determined bab, mention of injury (mild), not by name, reckless cinnamon roll
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-29
Updated: 2020-03-31
Packaged: 2021-02-23 13:15:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23378584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TigerOfTheTundra/pseuds/TigerOfTheTundra
Summary: "After so many unending hours of work, so many endless days of escape… Talis had thought himself strong. But even his legs faltered, as he trekked up the narrow, winding corridors. Other paths, he’d been told, would take time to reach"Talis, a young dragonborn paladin, finally reaches the surface world he'd so long searched for, leaving behind the dark memories of his captivity and escape from the drow. Now he just has to figure out what comesaftersurviving
Series: Starlight--Paladin Talis arc 1 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1681462
Comments: 12
Kudos: 8





	1. Surface

**Author's Note:**

> This is the start of a series about a paladin I played as, Talis. He was part of a single mini-campaign, four sessions, a little over a year ago--and I've been writing about him ever since. Now that I've got a solid body of work about him, I'm going to start posting it here for others to enjoy :3
> 
> (As a side note, for now Undercommon will be depicted with italics, and Common in regular font. If I find another way to depict languages, I'll note it here, but that's what I'll be doing for now)

“ _Thank you_ ,” Talis repeated, “ _for everything._ ” His claws rested on the edge of the cave, as he and the deep gnome mercenary, Gral, stood at the base of the narrow slope.

“ _Ahh, don’t mention it_.” Gral chuckled. “ _You sure you’re good from here_?” Talis nodded. This was a journey he had to take himself. “ _Well, take care of yourself up there. It’s a wild world, from what I’ve heard_.” He winked.

Talis just shook his head, smiling, and said what he hoped would be his last words ever in Undercommon. “ _Take care, Gral of Blingdenstone_.”

After so many unending hours of work, so many endless days of escape… Talis had thought himself strong. But even his legs faltered, as he trekked up the narrow, winding corridors. Other paths, he’d been told, would take time to reach. And would be more well-known, guarded even. The mercenary had trusted him with this one, this hidden narrow break in the stone, that Talis could only just wedge himself through.

And even then, at moments, he found himself almost stuck. He had to stop and reangle himself at times, to scrape past a jutting crag. To inch his way through a low hole in the ground. To painstakingly search, by the faint moss-light lantern, for a next path forward, a next way to go. Old scrapes and scratches reopened, and soon he felt tacky with tiny drips of dried blood. His tattered rags caught and tore, as he wormed his way through a particularly tight crevice. The moment he rolled his way free, he grabbed the tattered fabric and pulled it back, tying a hasty knot at his hip. They’d been pants once, he thought wryly.

They looked even worse than he’d thought. Shredded one one side. More fray than fabric. Small holes working their way to large ones. They barely covered him, how had he not… seen.… Talis looked up.

Seen.

He could see.

He could see the ledge he had climbed out onto, almost five feet to the edge of it. And below, a dark mass, moving like… trees. Trees, in a gentle breeze. One he could _feel_ against his face.

The young dragonborn stumbled upright, bracing himself on the stone wall behind him. No… cliffside. He was on the ledge of a cliff, a cliff reaching up above his head. And where it ended….

Talis could see the stars. The moon, round and fat and surrounded by light, light so far away it frightened him. He took a step away to see and stumbled, fell, losing his balance to the expanse of stars above his head.

Stars.

_Stars_.

The very thought felt… suffocating. He wanted to laugh, to smile, to raise his fists in triumph, but he only lay there, staring up at the stars so far above his head. His eyes hurt to look at them… further away than anything he’d seen in so, so long.

“ _I made it_ ,” he whispered to himself. Then, “ _I made it out_.” He’d made it out. He started to smile, then did, even as his vision blurred with tears. “ _I-I’m…._ ” He’d _made it to the surface_. He laughed, and then he couldn't stop laughing, rubbing at his eyes and laughing up at the stars, _he’d made it out_. Gods, he had… Gods.

“ _You got me out_.” He sat up, too fast, and his head spun. “ _You_ …” When he looked up to the stars again, they looked further away than ever. Talis took a steadying breath, then lowered his head. Drew his legs under him with a wince, and folded his hands in his lap. “ _Thank you_ ,” he prayed. “ _I’ll see that your aid is repaid tenfold. I’ll… I will_.” His stomach twisted. “ _Thank_ _you_ ,” he finished, ducking his head.

But he had to eat first.

Talis untied his food bag--and winced. Mushrooms, and dried fish. He’d eaten what better foods the gnome mercenary had offered on the walk uphill. And now, on the surface, he only had… The surface. He grinned. The small pouch he hefted, then drew back to toss as far as he could. No more mushrooms, no more inedible unknown plants, now he, now… he stopped, willing himself to throw it. But he stood, still, as the wind blew past him. No, he… he still had to eat… didn’t he? Talis shivered. He… had to find shelter… find food… clothes…

A weak, wry smile tugged at his face as he sank back against the cliff face. He hadn’t reached anything yet, had he? Just stars, nothing more than that. Stars and bare rock and forest below, a sea of leaf-rustle and darkness. He pulled his cloak tighter about his shoulders. Now…

Now what?


	2. City

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a long way off, but he sees something

Light. The sun had set--it was night time; he’d escaped into the  _ night-- _ but he could see light, an edge of it far beyond him. Was that what the sunset looked like? Sun… rise? Staring, it felt off. Wrong. It didn’t change, as long as he stared, until he realized it must be some kind of settlement. Town. Village?

Just. A very bright one.

There he could find a temple, he realized. Formalize his oath as a paladin… That must be why he was guided here, specifically. To reach that light, and take up the cause he had been called to. The air was bright and cold in his lungs. He coughed, breathing too deep at first, then slowly got to his feet. That’s where he would go next, then. To the light his god had guided him too. 

He walked at a guess, through the dark of the forest. At times a rustle of nocturnal predators or disturbed foliage startled him from his path, but most things thought him too much effort to take on. The few beasts who didn’t think so at first thought so after a few blows to the head with his lantern. He barely sustained more than a few scratches and bruised ribs. Much less than anything he’d been hit with below, he thought wryly. But he could see the light of the town gates up ahead--so much light, more than he’d expected. He hurried for the break of the forest, confident now that he could see.

The great stone gate stretched far above his head. Guards patrolled the top, uniformed guards, armed and undaunted. For a moment, Talis hovered at the edge of the forest. This… this was much, much bigger than a town. A few other folks sat at the gate, in small clumps and fires, keeping to themselves. Slowly, Talis limped over to an empty patch of grass. Lowered himself carefully up against the shadow of a gate watchtower. Pulled the makeshift hood of his ragged cloak further over his face. He didn’t want to scare anyone off before he reached the temple. Surely they would have a temple here? Of course they would. They had to. He folded his arms over the lantern in his lap and let out a shaky sigh. Perhaps he could trade it, for a place to rest. A back corner or a bench, somewhere. He… he certainly wouldn’t need it in the daylight.

Daylight. The sky had begun to lighten, and with it the doors dragged open. Talis pulled himself to his feet. He hadn’t time to watch the sun come up. Wagons rolled and farmers loaded with market goods dragged them forward. He fell into step behind a trader’s pack and a rattling cart full of hay. The guards seemed unconcerned with the morning traffic, at least, and he made it in all right. He moved away from the crowds entering as soon as he could, to give them room, but the noise of it stopped him in his tracks. Slowly, Talis turned to look at the space he had entered.

Buildings towered above him. Though the sun only just began to crest, people already streamed about the streets around him. Voices shouted, sang, and squealed above the trampling throng, louder still as Talis tried to weave his way through this crush of people. He clung to his lantern, head down so he wouldn’t accidentally step on anyone of a smaller race. Or in the rotted slush, mud and puddles on hard-packed roads, bigger across then he’d seen. As such he kept catching his shoulders on market stalls or low-hanging signs. A dwarven grandmother pushed past him, and he nearly stumbled into a carriage, trying to get out of her way. Eventually he ducked onto a side street, ankle aching, head spinning.

He needed directions, first. He needed a temple. How… how was he supposed to find a temple? Would they… signs? A path? A window creaked above his head, as he rubbed at his ankle. Was he supposed to just… know? Had he already--?

Stinking water splattered the wall beside him, soaking his head and side. Talis spat and swiped at the water, as someone above him let out a surprised grunt. When he looked up, all the windows had closed. He sighed. Somewhere to wash up would be first, then.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why doesn't he ask anyone there? Amidst the crowds? Partially, because everything is a little overwhelming right now, and partially he sometimes forgets that he can just. Talk to people. With words  
> Partially also because I didn't think of that until just now >u< But it works well for this scene, and I don't think I'd change it if I'd thought that earlier
> 
> He just wants to find a temple u guys
> 
> Next chapter will be up tomorrow! Last in the introductory short, but certainly not last in the series


	3. Help

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Talis tries to decide what to do next

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _”Now what?” vibes intensify_
> 
> Later in the day than I’d like, but I had to switch over to my iPad because my computer refuses to connect to my internet (which I know isn’t the problem, because my persnickety old iPad connects fine) I assume it’s because so many people are working from home, or just a poorly-timed problem with the network, but something I can so far work around!
> 
> Reminder: italicized speech is Undercommon, regular text speech is Common

For a moment, Talis just stood, shivering. The air felt cold against his wet scales, even with the cloak. He pulled it tighter and shuffled to the edge of the alley. Maybe he could find a river, now that it was light. Better yet, a creek in the forest, away from… everything. Just for a moment.

But as he stepped from the alley into the crush of people, he found he couldn’t see the gates. He couldn’t see anything but buildings and shops and heads and horse-drawn carts and suspicious eyes, staring at him as they moved around his stinking form. He stepped back to go the other way down the alley, but that led to an even busier street, this one filled with the shouts of merchants. He hurried along the edge of it until he found another backroad, then an alley that ended in a dead end, and back until he’d reached a quieter part of town.

Talis leaned on his knees to catch his breath. An inn. If he couldn’t find his way out, he’d find an inn. Or the temple. Perhaps he could go there first, still. Surely they had even a back courtyard and a bucket of water they could loan him. He pushed himself upright, looked around. A quiet, narrow street, though he had no idea what was behind all the doors and windows. He walked slowly, trying to keep weight off his throbbing ankle. Surely, surely he would find  _ something _ .

When Talis rounded a corner, he nearly walked into the dragonborn passing him. As he sidestepped he froze. A dragonborn. He looked up, mouth agape, a  _ dragonborn _ . Silver-scaled, and much older, looking just as shocked as he. A fellow dragonborn, here, in this cacophonous unending city, in…

“ _ Where am I _ ?” Talis asked. He tried to bite back the note of desperation, straightened his shoulders, stood taller. An inn, he needed an inn. “ _ Is there… anywhere, to stay, near here? To wash? _ ”

The older dragonborn blinked. Then lowered his head, with a concerned expression. “Do you need some help, son?” Help? Talis was already shaking his head.

“Um _... _ ” He coughed. Took a steadying breath. “Just. Directions.”

“Directions…?”

“To…. an inn.” He fought the urge to lean against the nearest wall. “A temple?” The dragonborn looked him over again, slowly. Talis tried to lean his soiled side away. Brush off some of the build up dirt and dust and mud and fungal spores and--

“Ah.” The dragonborn smiled, half-turned, softening. “I know an excellent place, just down the road. They keep the baths hot and the food fresh. I’ll walk you there.”

“You don’t--just directions would be fine.” Talis took a step back, trying to wave off the sudden overture of friendliness. He could take care of himself. “Really.” He tried to stand casually, but the weight sent a jolt of pain up his ankle, and he winced, stumbled in place. The dragonborn stepped to his side.

“Easy there, son,” he said, steadying him. Talis let himself be steadied. His ankle ached. He needed to check it, he needed to rest, he needed a place to just-- He looked up at the dragonborn, who still stood ready to catch him if he started to fall again. 

“I… could use a hot bath,” he offered, feeling a little more than sheepish.

The older dragonborn smiled. “It’s not far at all.” He put a hand on Talis’ shoulder. Talis could feel the exhaustion he’d been ignoring catching up to him. He gave his head a shake. Not far at all.  _ Soon _ . He let the older dragonborn lead him down the road.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhhhh, I’ve been so excited for this chapter! This introduces my friend Rai’s PC in the campaign, Ace!! : D Big ol dad of a dragonborn fighter, made of all things good and sensible and excellent!!! Since we were both playing dragonborn, and had been talking character plans/excitement for the campaign for a bit, we wanted to introduce our PCs! I wrote up this whole story as an intro to an RP (with much badgering of Rai for how Ace would react/what he would do if/etc) The next story in this arc will be that RP, should be up in a couple days, once I get all the chapters blocked out ^^
> 
> Look for the next Starlight arc story, At The Inn, coming to an Archive author’s works near you this Thursday, April 2nd, 2020!!
> 
> Ace’s creator and player, Rai, can be found at raiswanson.tumblr.com, along with other of her works and WIP information!! For real, go check it out, her writing and character design and world design are all Top Notch Spectacular

**Author's Note:**

> Now what indeed?
> 
> _chapter 2 will be up tomorrow, probably midday_


End file.
